California Department of Transportation

Driving will also be safer for motorists who share the road with big rigs

SOLANO COUNTY – The newest and one of the largest truck inspection facilities in the state is set to open later this week along eastbound Interstate 80 near Fairfield in Solano County. The $100 million Cordelia Truck Scales will have greater capacity and improved technology to handle more than two million trucks annually that travel from the Port of Oakland on I-80 through Northern California and on to the rest of the nation.

“Every investment we make in infrastructure will help California’s economy,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Truckers, businesses, and motorists will all benefit from this state-of-the-art facility. It’s a winning combination for all.”

In 2012, more than 2.4 million trucks traveled through the old facility, and more than 40,000 inspections were performed. The new facility features multiple inspection bays and weigh-in-motion scales, which do not require trucks to come to a full stop to be weighed, making inspections more efficient.

“The new facility will help the CHP carry out our mission of saving lives, and improve our ability to inspect trucks and protect our roads for many years to come” said CHP Commander Mike Ferrell. “Although the facility may seem large and have a lot of technology, it was designed with truck traffic estimates for the year 2035 in mind.”

As part of the safety improvements, trucks will have longer exits and entrances onto I-80 and State Route 12 and new ramps that will make it safer for trucks entering and exiting the facility.

“The old facility was built in 1958, and could no longer handle the current levels of truck traffic,” said Caltrans District 4 Director Bijan Sartipi.”By contrast, this new facility will not only handle today’s demands, but the projected increases for the next thirty years.”

Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and the Solano Transportation Authority (STA) were partners in the project, which received 50 percent of its funding from the State Highway Operation and Protection Program and 50 percent from regional/local funds.

Steve Hardy, Vacaville Mayor and member of the Solano Transportation Authority said, “It’s not only an improvement for truck and transport safety. The new scales will help drivers spend less time tied-up in traffic. It’s an improvement we’ve needed for a long time.”

The new scales will officially open to truck traffic later this week. Once truck traffic is routed through the new scales, the demolition of the old scales will begin and should be completed by this fall.

Construction on the new scales started in spring 2012. Berkeley-based O.C. Jones and Sons constructed the new roadway, overpasses and connectors. Landmark Construction built the new truck bays and CHP office complex.